Novel pheromone-mediated reproductive behaviour in the stag beetle, Lucanus cervus

Harvey, Deborah J., Vuts, József, Hooper, Antony, Caulfield, John C., Finch, Paul, Woodcock, Christine M., Gange, Alan C., Chapman, Jason W., Birkett, Michael A. and Pickett, John A. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1008-6595 2024. Novel pheromone-mediated reproductive behaviour in the stag beetle, Lucanus cervus. Scientific Reports 14 , 6037. 10.1038/s41598-024-55985-8

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Abstract

The iconic European stag beetle (Lucanus cervus) (Coleoptera: Lucanidae) is one of the largest terrestrial beetles in Europe. Due to decreasing population numbers, thought to be a consequence of habitat loss, this beetle has become a near-threatened species across much of Europe, and a reliable monitoring system is required to measure its future population trends. As part of a programme aimed at conserving UK populations, we have investigated the chemical ecology of the beetle, with a view to developing an efficient semiochemical-based monitoring system. Such a scheme will be beneficial not only in the UK but across the European range of the species, where the beetle is of conservation concern. Here, we report on a surprising discovery of a male-produced pheromone, which provokes initial sexual receptivity in females, and which has not been previously identified in the animal kingdom. Furthermore, we assign sex pheromone function to a previously described female-specific compound.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Published Online
Status:	Published
Schools:	Chemistry
Additional Information:	License information from Publisher: LICENSE 1: URL: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/, Type: open-access
Publisher:	Nature Research
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	14 March 2024
Date of Acceptance:	29 February 2024
Last Modified:	14 Mar 2024 10:15
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/167248

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